Notorious Read Free Page B

Edward married her to a monster and there was nothing I could do about it. The king ruled by divine right, but in truth it was Gaveston who ruled!”
    Brianna, who had heard disturbing gossip about Gaveston’s death over the years, whispered, “Did Father murder him?”
    Mother’s and daughter’s eyes met in the mirror. “Good God, no! Rumors have laid so many deaths at your father’s feet and none of them are true. Parliament tried Gaveston and found him guilty on forty different charges such as counseling the king to do evil, stealing the Great Seal of England and using it for his own purposes, and urging the king to civil war. Gaveston fled to his castle of Scarborough, which the king had given him. He finally surrendered to Pembroke, on condition that his life be spared. Pembroke and his soldiers brought the prisoner to Warwick. I remember that night so well. Thomas of Lancaster arrived and demanded custody of Gaveston. I knew how much Lancaster hated him and knew what he would do. I used all my feminine wiles on your father to keep him at Warwick that night.”
    â€œWere your suspicions correct?” Brianna whispered.
    Her mother nodded. “As soon as they were on Lancaster land, Gaveston was executed and Thomas took full responsibility.” She put down the brush and sat on the bed. “I was vastly relieved that young Margaret was widowed from Gaveston. The following year she married Hugh Audley, the young Marcher baron who was worthy of inheriting the earldom of Gloucester through his wife.”
    Brianna stretched out beside her. “Tell me the rest.”
    â€œIn his grief over the loss of Gaveston, Edward reached out to his wife because he had no one else to turn to. Isabelle knew he had always been a weakling, but she felt compassion for his anguish and she comforted him. In her innocence she thought that at long last, Edward had begun to love her. They became man and wife in more than name and she had Prince Edward, followed by her other children. Though they were not in love, their relationship was at least amicable and polite and lasted almost ten years. All seemed well and fine until the greedy, grasping Despencers made their move. The elder Despencer, who was on the King’s Council, appointed his son Hugh to the post of Chamberlain of the King’s Household. Hugh Despencer soon slipped into Edward’s bed and the trouble started all over again.”
    â€œThey are sodomites,” Brianna said in a shocked voice.
    Her mother rolled her eyes. “Wherever do you learn these words? Your father would run mad if he heard you.”
    â€œThat word is in the Bible,” Brianna said innocently. “I sensed there was something peculiar about Hugh Despencer.” A lump came into her throat. “Poor Queen Isabelle must feel so alone. She must miss us as much as we miss her.”
    â€œIt is infinitely sad. She has never known a man’s love. In the early years of her marriage she worshipped Edward with her whole heart. I cannot count the number of times I held a sobbing Isabelle in my arms to try to comfort and soothe her. She was sick with jealousy that the handsome young king gave all his love and attention to Gaveston and could spare none for her. After his favorite was permanently removed, Edward turned to Isabelle as if he were seeing her for the first time. She was generous enough to forgive him, naively believing he was cured of his aberration. She did her duty by the king and gave him children, and the outside world began to believe that their king and queen had a normal marriage. But now that he has shamed and humiliated her once more with Hugh Despencer, her marriage is finished.”
    â€œI would never allow myself to fall in love with a man unless he had proven that he loved me,” Brianna declared fervently.
    Jory smiled at her daughter’s innocence. “You cannot control love, darling. It controls you. The heart